A Notts health team are ‘thrilled’ after learning that training they provided to Nottinghamshire Police officers led to them saving the life of a man suspected of overdosing in a taxi in Calverton.
The officers had received training on how to administer Naloxone from the team at The Health Shop – which is run by Nottinghamshire Healthcare, alongside partners from Change Grow Live.
Naloxone reverses overdoses from drugs like heroin, codeine and tramadol. There are two different types of naloxone available: a nasal spray and an injectable version. Both work very quickly and buy time until emergency help arrives.
Nottinghamshire Police introduced 400 Naloxone kits back in November 2024 and the Health Centre has training frontline officers in its use.
Lou Wilkins, Team Leader at the Health Shop said: “We were thrilled to hear that the training provided meant Nottinghamshire police officers were confident to use naloxone and ultimately save another life.
“Drugs are changing on both a local and national level. The Health Shop are aware that synthetic opioids called ‘nitazenes’ are being found in heroin supplies but also in other drugs that people might buy online or use recreationally.
“Nitazenes are between 50-500 stronger than heroin and cause serious risk of overdose. The team are trying to get more naloxone out in the community and moving beyond the traditional services to raise awareness, working with local partners to ensure it is available to anyone who needs it.
Naloxone is available from the Nottingham Recovery Network and The Health Shop. Thanks to a new initiative by the team, it is also now available from over eight pharmacies in the city, with more hopefully coming on board soon.
Free training on administering Naloxone is available from the Health Shop. It lasts around an hour and covers the signs of opioid overdose, what causes overdose and how to use naloxone.
People who carry naloxone do not need to have a medical background. It is safe and easy to use.
Wilkins added: “The Health Shop team also want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to a service user advocate called Lee Collingham. He first brought naloxone to the city in 2011, after visiting a conference in Beirut. He was a passionate advocate of harm reduction. He sadly passed away in February 2024”
For more information on naloxone, training or provision, please email healthshop@nottshc.nhs.uk
